On This Day, 1939: On 21 October 1939, 46 Squadron Hurricanes intercepted Heinkel He 115 floatplanes over the North Sea in the…
Read the entry →Second World War Articles
In-depth articles, analysis and long reads from The RAF Chronicle.
Mosquito Enters Bomber Command Service with No. 105 Squadron
Second World War
On 1 June 1942, No. 105 Squadron flew the Mosquito’s first operational bombing mission for Bomber Command, starting a remarkable RAF career.
Read the article →U-31 Sunk by RAF Aircraft in an Anti-Submarine First
On 11 March 1940, a Blenheim of No. 82 Squadron sank U-31, the first U-boat destroyed by air…
Fall of Rangoon 1942: The RAF Retreats North in Burma
On 8 March 1942, the fall of Rangoon forced RAF units in Burma into retreat and reorganisation during…
Railway Offensive Opens with Bomber Command Strike
On 6 March 1944, Bomber Command struck the marshalling yards at Trappes, opening the Railway Offensive against French…
Fairey Battle L5019 Lost off Porthcawl in Training Crash
On 4 March 1941, a Fairey Battle from No. 7 Bombing and Gunnery School crashed off Porthcawl during…
Avro Lancaster Enters RAF Operations with No. 44 Squadron
On 3 March 1942, No. 44 Squadron took the Avro Lancaster on its first operational sortie, marking a…
Operation Biting Begins with the Bruneval Radar Raid
On 27 February 1942, Operation Biting began at Bruneval as RAF aircraft carried airborne troops to seize key…
Avro Manchester Makes Its Operational Debut with the RAF
On 24 February 1941, the Avro Manchester entered RAF service, marking the bomber’s operational debut during Bomber Command’s…
Ted Swales VC: Master Bomber on the Pforzheim Raid
On 23 February 1945, Ted Swales led the Pforzheim raid as Master Bomber and died after saving his…
Arthur Harris Takes Command of RAF Bomber Command in 1942
On 22 February 1942, Arthur Harris took command of RAF Bomber Command, marking a decisive shift towards a…
Battle of Talingon: RAF Air Power in the Burma Campaign
On 19 February 1945, No. 20 Squadron RAF supported the Battle of Talingon in Burma, destroying Japanese tanks…
Operation Jericho: The Amiens Prison Raid
On 18 February 1944, RAF Mosquitos attacked Amiens Prison in Operation Jericho, a low-level raid intended to breach…
Mission to Bomb Dunkirk Abandoned Due to Heavy Opposition
On 17 February 1943, an RAF bombing mission against Dunkirk was abandoned after heavy opposition, with escort fighters…